Beneath the Surface
by ElleMalfoy65
Summary: The surface of the water may be smooth, but life underneath is teeming with action. What happens when you rush into marriage before you give yourselves time to settle down after a war? Sometimes it's as smooth as the surface, others it's as uncertain as what happens beneath the surface. Ron and Hermione find out.


**A/N: Hello dewdrops! It's been a while since you've heard from me, I know. If you follow my Facebook page, I made a post yesterday about the dementors plaguing me and holding my muse hostage. I hate it, trust me. So, I tried writing something out of the box for me to try and pull myself out of my funk. I'm also pretty sure I swore I'd never write this pairing, haha. But I heard James Arthur's Naked and was inspired, so here it is.**

 **A big thanks as always to my lovely Frogster for being an awesome beta. Another thanks as well to my bestie, my number one, my partner in crime MrsInfinity for the manip and the title. I don't know what I'd do without you.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, just the plot.**

 **XoXo,**

 **Elle.**

 **Beneath the Surface**

On the outside, Ron and Hermione had the perfect marriage. Anyone you asked would have said so, but that was the thing about Hermione-appearance was everything. Not a hair out of place, no button askew; shoes shined, lips the perfect shade of pink. Most of all, Ron was to be by her side, smiling and pretending everything was fine. Even around his family, even around his best friend. They were her family too, after all.

But it was eating Ron up inside. Like a wound, open and raw, infected and festering, and putrid. It was a wonder that no one could see it. That no one could smell its rotten stench.

They had only been married for five short years, but everything had fallen apart quickly. Ron often found himself wishing he had listened to his mum and given the relationship the time to grow and blossom that Molly had begged him for. But Ron and Hermione, both high on victory and still scared, wanted to get married as soon as most of the dust had settled from the war. Both sure that what had been a childhood crush and a year on the run was a love for the ages, like James and Lily, or Molly and Arthur. A love to defeat an enemy, or a love to last a lifetime.

Instead, it crumbled after two years and left them at each other's throats every time they were home alone. Hermione treated Ron like he was invisible, hiding away in the second bedroom of their flat, her office, working on cases. It was not how married life was supposed to be and they both knew it.

Ron released a sigh as he stood in the kitchen, watching as dinner cooked itself at the direction of his wand. His cerulean eyes trailed over to the worn wooden dining table with two chairs. Her parents had dug it out of their storage; it had been their first table when they had gotten married. Hugh and Jean had gifted it to them in hopes that it would bring Hermione and Ron love, luck and a long, prosperous marriage, like theirs. So much for good intentions. The table sat, collecting dust and junk post. Ron ate in his chair in front of the telly and Hermione usually ate in her office.

When dinner was done, Ron levitated it onto plates, set his plate on the table, and picked up Hermione's to carry it to her office. The door was ajar and he nudged it open with his foot. Hermione was sitting in the chair, head leaned on her hand, soft snores falling from her lips. Ron drew in a deep breath, his eyes falling closed as his head dropped forward on his neck. It was moments like these, when she was so vulnerable, that he knew he still loved Hermione. But it was becoming increasingly hard to hold on. He was giving all he had, and was only getting half of Hermione.

"You've got to give me something here, Hermione," Ron spoke quietly, so as not to wake her just yet. "I want to give you everything, but you've got to break down those walls and stop pretending you don't need anyone."

The whimper coming from Hermione had a frown forming on Ron's brow. She still couldn't shake those nightmares. Of course, prosecuting the last of the rogue Death Eaters didn't help. Ron left the frame of the door, setting the glass of wine on the desk and gently shook Hermione's shoulder. "Mi? Hermione. Wake up, dinners ready."

Hermione sat up quickly and wiped the drool at the corner of her mouth away. Her confused copper eyes sweeping around the room, familiarizing herself with the surroundings before finally glancing up at Ron. "Hey, thanks." She took the plate, her eyes quickly darting away from Ron's and turned back to her work.

Ron stood there for a moment, waiting for her to look back up. But when she didn't, he turned to leave sighing under his breath. He stopped at the door, turning to look back, "Hey Mi?"

"Yes, Ronald?" She answered, her tone already clipped.

He knew it would probably just incite an argument, even making the suggestion, but he had to try, "I thought that maybe we could eat dinner together tonight. At the table? Like we used to."

Ron could see Hermione's shoulders tense from his position in the doorway, her back straightening. "Not tonight, Ron. I really need to get this case together."

"You always need to get a case together, Hermione. You can take a damn break for thirty minutes to eat dinner. You were just napping, for Merlin's sake," Ron said, managing to keep his voice level and even. Work was a big factor in what had drove them apart and was often what they fought about.

"Because I'm exhausted, Ronald. I've been working on this night and day, to make sure that Darrik Jugson pays for his crimes as a Death Eater. He killed some of our friends and classmates. He deserves to rot in Azkaban," Hermione retorted, her voice rising.

"I'm exhausted too, Hermione!" Ron shouted, "I'm tired of trying! I'm tired of standing beside you lying to everyone, pretending everything is fine. Everything's not fine and hasn't been for a long while. When are you going to see that I'm trying to save what we have?"

Hermione spun around, standing out of her chair, her hair flying as she did. "Why on earth would you want to save this?"

Those nine words were like an arrow aimed straight for Ron's heart, and they hit dead center. He let his head drop as his heart deflated and fell somewhere near the region of his arse. There was no answer to that question, none that he could form into words to make her see. Not in that moment. He was too shocked for words. Instead, he just turned and walked away.

But of course, Hermione followed, "Why, Ron? Why would you want to save a relationship that makes us both miserable?"

His voice was flat when he answered, "If you have to ask that question, Hermione, then you're not using that brain of yours. Or your eyes, because I've never been anything but transparent about my feelings. I'm tired of being here and you not seeing me. You pretend you don't need anyone and I'm not going to wait around for you to swallow your pride and be done pretending Hermione. This is me, being transparent and naked. I won't be the one waiting around until you leave. Just remember that." Ron left his dinner untouched on the table and walked to their bedroom, closing the door quietly.

As his heart hammered in his chest, it cracked into a million pieces. As badly as he wanted things to work, in the deepest part of his heart, he knew that it wouldn't. Hermione, heart of gold that she had, wasn't the type to change easily and she was so consumed in her work that she wouldn't be changing that any time soon.

The next day, Ron returned home from work late and came in to dinner ready and on the small table, Hermione standing next to her chair. The look on her face was hesitant and sorrowful. "I thought about what you said last night."

Ron shut the door behind him and hung his coat up, walking into the flat further. He gave a nod for her to continue.

"I'm sorry for how I have been behaving over the last few years. I have just been so consumed with work that I didn't care the toll it took on our relationship. Or you. I know that you still love me and I still love you. I am going to not take as many cases so we can spend more time together and work on our relationship." Hermione's sherry eyes were burning into his. She was trying so hard to believe what she was saying, Ron could tell. Attempting to convince herself that she still held some romantic feelings for her husband.

A sigh left Ron's lips as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he walked over to Hermione and grabbed her hands. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "I know you are trying to believe what you're saying. But I also know you. You are just saying those things to make me feel better. That's not who you are. You are a strong and independent woman, Hermione. But those walls you have built, they need to be broken down. Whether by you or someone else, before you can give yourself fully to anyone. I don't like giving up, I really don't. But I have nothing left to give. I should have listened to my mum. We should have listened to her and waited to get married. Let our relationship run its natural course before getting married, see what might have happened and maybe avoided this."

Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears, but none fell. She knew that Ron was right. Her eyes closed and the tears stayed in place as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry I failed you, Ron."

"We failed each other, Mi. We were both at fault here." Ron kissed her temple and smoothed her hair back when she looked up at him. "I'm going to take the day off tomorrow and I'll be here getting my stuff together. I'll be moved out when you come home."

Hermione frowned, "But where are you going to go?"

Ron shrugged, "I'll figure something out. Either the Burrow or Harry and Ginny. I think the flat above the joke shop is empty. But for tonight, I'll just get a room at The Leaky."

"I can clear out my office here." Hermione offered.

"No, I think it's best if we give each other some space, Mi." Ron gave her a weak smile.

Hermione nodded, her eyes cast down to the floor, "Okay. Well, I'll draw up the divorce papers. We can do this just between us. Meet me in my office at lunch tomorrow."

Ron gave her a nod and another kiss on the cheek, "I love you, Mi. Goodbye." With that, he turned and walked from their flat, his head hung low and his heart in pieces in his chest.


End file.
